Game 17 Preview: Anaheim at Los Angeles

This is the second of four meetings between Los Angeles and Anaheim this season. On February 2, the Ducks defeated the Kings 7-4 at Honda Center. After tonight, the two teams will meet on Sunday, April 7 at Honda Center and Saturday, April 13 at Staples Center.

Los Angeles has won five of six games, holding opponents to one goal in the five wins. Anaheim has won six straight games – trailing in all six – and will attempt to equal the franchise’s longest winning streak, set from February 20 to March 7, 1999. Only the Boston Bruins – who have played 15 games – have appeared in as few games as the Kings and Ducks this season. Anaheim has allowed the game’s first goal in 11 of 16 games.

The Ducks are expected to start Viktor Fasth in net. The 30-year-old rookie who spent the previous two seasons with Stockholm-based Elitserien club AIK has never faced Los Angeles in his career. Overall, Fasth is 8-0-0 with a 1.78 goals against average and .933 save percentage. He is 5-0-0 on the road with a 2.04 GAA and .928 Sv%. In his last appearance, he stopped 32 of 34 shots through overtime and two of three shots in the shootout as Anaheim concluded a 5-1-0 road trip with a 3-2 shootout win at Nashville.

The Ducks are playing the second game of a back-to-back set and of a five-games-in-seven nights portion of the schedule. Last night they defeated Colorado 4-3 in overtime on Corey Perry’s power play game-winner with 46 seconds remaining in the extra session.

Jonathan Quick is expected to get the start for the Kings. He is 11-5-2 with a 2.52 GAA and .904 Sv% lifetime against Anaheim and was pulled in the February 2 meeting between the teams after six minutes, having allowed two goals on three shots. He is 2-1-1 with a 2.17 GAA and .892 Sv% at home this season.

Notes: Toni Lydman, who did not play in last night’s win over Colorado, is likely to play. Head Coach Bruce Boudreau is mindful of playing Lydman on back to back nights, meaning last night’s scratch indicates he’ll be in the lineup tonight. If he doesn’t go, Ben Lovejoy would draw back into the lineup. Francois Beauchemin recorded four assists last night and is a plus-13 in February. His plus-15 rating leads the league. Sheldon Souray ranks second in the NHL with a plus-13 rating.

- No profanity, slurs or other offensive language. Replacing letters with symbols does not turn expletives into non-expletives.

- Personal attacks against other blog commenters, and/or blatant attempts to antagonize other commenters, are not tolerated. Respectful disagreement is encouraged. Posts that continually express the same singular opinion will be deleted.

- Comments that incite political, religious or similar debates will be deleted.

#6 | 6′ 3″ | 216 lb | Age: 27

Bio

Muzzin was drafted in 2007 by the Pittsburgh Penguins, before signing to the Kings in 2010. He has since become the first Woodstock, Ontario professional athlete to win a major sports trophy.VIEW JAKE MUZZIN POSTS

Anze Kopitar

#11 | 6′ 3″ | 224 lb | Age: 29

Bio

As the 11th overall pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Kopitar became the first Slovenian to play in the NHL. Kopitar has spent his entire NHL career with the Kings, and following the 2015–16 season, was named the Kings’ captain. Noted for both his offensive and defensive play, Kopitar was awarded the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward in the NHL in 2016.

#8 | 6′ 1″ | 195 lb | Age: 26

Bio

Bio: Doughty is a Canadian defenceman who was selected second overall by the Kings in the 2008 Draft. Doughty made his NHL debut in 2008 as an 18-year-old and was named to the All-Rookie Team. He is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Kings, a two-time Olympic gold medallist with the Canadian national team, and a Norris Trophy finalist.

#73 | 6′ 1″ | 200 lb | Age: 24

Bio

Toffoli is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward, drafted by the Kings in the second round of the 2010 Draft. Toffoli scored his first career NHL goal in his second game in a 4–0 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes in 2013. He was also named the 2012–13 AHL All-Rookie Team.VIEW TYLER TOFFOLI POSTS

Jeff Carter

#77 | 6′ 4″ | 215 lb | Age: 31

Bio

Carter began his hockey career playing in the Ontario Hockey League in Canada before joining the AHL and playing for the Philadelphia Flyers. He was then traded to the Colombus Blue jackets before joining the LA Kings in 2012, where he has since won two Stanley Cups with the Kings.

#32 | 6′ 1″ | 218 lb | Age: 30

Bio

Bio: Quick is the current goaltender for the LA Kings and was selected by Los Angeles at the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Previously, Quick was a silver medalist with USA at the 2010 Winter Olympics. He’s won two Stanley Cup championships with the Kings, along with being the most recent goaltender to be awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs.